Best job in the world?

Mostly I think I have the best job in the world. Think about it...... I get to plan my own time, sit in peoples' houses and stroke cats. And that's work!!

Clearly there is more to it than that. Obviously there's litter to sort out (some of it really mucky!), washing up to do, and a variety of issues to deal with like medicating cats that don't want medicating.

And there's the traffic........... Oh boy, the traffic!! I do what I can to avoid the worst of it by trying not to travel during rush hours, but sometimes that's just not possible, if people have requested early and evening visits. I plan a logical route each day, so that I do minimum miles possible. Time is money for me, but I don't take it to extremes; I don't rush from place to place, breaking the speed limit. And I get really fed up with the increasingly bad and dangerous driving that I've noticed in Manchester over the last couple of years - I feel like I'm continually having to watch out for others' bad driving so that I don't have an accident. But I guess we're all like that these days.

So, I've got to the house and all I need to do is snuggle down with a cat or two, right? Well, apart from the little jobs I need to do, you'd be surprised how snuggling down is often not an option. Some houses are so cold, it's often a real struggle to remain on the premises for the allotted half hour.

These last few weeks have been particularly challenging, due to very difficult driving conditions and a few freezing houses. Both Boxing Day and last Tuesday were the worst on the roads.

Boxing Day was my busiest and also the most dangerous on roads and pavements. Christmas Day evening rained a little then re-froze overnight, so that the already icy conditions were even worse. After my first visit, when I struggled to remain upright just getting from the car to the front door I stopped at a little corner shop to pick up a pack of salt - which I then spread on the pavement in front of me as I walked from car to house and back again each time. Brilliant!!!

There were a couple of visits I nearly didn't get to, not helped by the fact that when I returned home after my afternoon visits my car just slid into the gutter opposite my house and wouldn't go anywhere!! However, a couple of hours later I tried again, and was successful - which meant I could go back to a house I couldn't get to previously, and also, more importantly, to Terry for his evening insulin.

Then just as everything seemed to be sorted in the New Year, there was all that snow on Monday night and Tuesday. I'd watched neighbours try and fail to get their cars out, so decided not to try. I only had one visit to do that day, and it was walkable (sort of). So that's what I did. A walk of 25 minutes normally stretched to 45 - trudging through deep snow and against a driving blizzard in both directions. I was exhausted when I got back. Lucky I didn't have any others as I wouldn't have had time, and couldn't have walked to them all!!

I'm very proud to say that through all this rather dreadful weather not one visit has been missed!!

And despite everything I still think I have the best job in the world!! I feel honoured that the cats not only let me into their homes, but welcome me too. They're pleased to see me, and show me with bags of affection, and lots of purrs. I know too that it can be stressful for them while their families are away, so I am glad to bring them Reiki to help them to be calm, relaxed and happy.